Metal door construction



Jan. 19, 1965 J. A. WAHLFELD METAL DOOR CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Dec. 6, 1961 INVENTOR: JAMES A. WAHLFELD ATT'YS Jan. 19, 1965 J.A. WAHLFELD METAL DOOR CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 6, 1961INVENTOR: JAMES A. WAHLFELD United States PatentO.

3,166,163 METAL DOBR GNSTRUCTESN .iames A. ,Jahifeld, 216 W. Strati'ordDrive, Peoria, lili- Filed Dec. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 157,475 2 (Ilairns.(ill. 89-46} This invention relates in general to door constructionv andin particular to the formation and structure of metallic doors.

The use of metal doors, especially aluminum doors, has in recent yearsfound many applications, not only for use as an external storm door forthe home, but as en trance and internal doors of most or" the modernstores, factories and oilice buildings of today. This explosiveexpansion of uses for metallic door structures has been profounded notonly by their characteristic design advantages but from an economicalaspect. From the ultimate purchasers viewpoint there are many obviousadvantages to the metallic door construction; durability, rigidity,elimination of repetitive finishing, light in weight, to name but a few.From the manufacturers view, there are also many advantages, especiallywith the modern processes for forming extruded metal parts; uniformityof material, improved quality control, readily adaptable to assemblyline production and elimination of massive material wastes are but a fewof the more obvious advantages. i

The strength of a metallic door construction is primarily determined bythe formation and securern'ent of the four corner junctures formed bythe mating top, bottom over a right angle bracket to' secure the matingframe members. Each of the prior devices or methods have provided, tosome degree, a securement of the four junctures of the door constructionbut lack several desirable characteristics and advantages. When weldingthe mating frame members together, either internally or externally,there is created a discoloring of the metal; if externally welded, andadditional finishing operation is required to blend the weld with thesurface. Internal weld ing has been found in previous metallic doorconstructions to be unsatisfactory because of difliculty in forming apositive weld within the members and because of the small weld areaafiorded by the desired thin Wall structure of the mating members. Theuse of an internal right angle bracket not only increases the overallcost per unit, but one usually experiences a separation of'the matingframe members after repeated use of the door.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide animproved metallic door construction which eliminates the shortcomings ofthe prior art devices and methods. a V

it is a specific object of this invention to provide an improvedmetallic door construction having total surfaceto-surface contact atright angles between matingmembers to attain maximum rigidity over theentire corner juncture. v l

Another object of this invention is to provide an in proved metallicdoor construction which is formed from extruded channel members designedto interlock with one another at the corner junctures.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improvedmetallic door construction which is formed from extruded metallicchannel members designed to interlock with one another at the cornerjunctureswherein an internal area of interlock of mating members isreadily a cessible to be welded together.

A further object of this invention is to provide an im- I 3,156,13Patented Jan. to, less proved metal door construction whichpermitspositive interlocking securernent of mating frame members at thecorner junctures which is accomplished entirely within tne frame memberswithout afiecting the desired external finished surface.

A Still further object of this invention is to provide an skilled in theart, from the following description, dr-aW- ings relating thereto, andthe appended claims;

In the accompanying drawings, which show a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, like numerals refer to like parts throughout theseveral viewsin which: 7

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation'of the door construction of thisinvention in the assembled condition with, a

glass panel mounted therein;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View of a side member taken along theline 22 of PEG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional iew of atop frame member taken alongthe line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

PEG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a bottom frame 7 frame membertaken along the line d-4 of 516 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary exploded view in frontfperspective of a cornerjuncture of the frame members with a portion of one frame member cutaway to illustrate the interlocking of the mating frame members; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in front perspective illusement of themembers.

of the detailed description to follow, the door structure of thisinvention is primarily characterized by the unique interlocking ormeshing of mating frame members at the corner junctions which affordsmaximum desired rigidity and presents -a greater internal surface, areaof mating parts to permit a positive securernent by weldin By way ofexample, the drawings illustrate an exterior storm door structure forthe home and will be described as formed from an aluminum alloy, but itis to be understood that the structural formation of this invention isreadily adaptable for other door constructions and may be formed fromotler metals such as bronze, steel, etc, and plastics that may bereadily extruded into thev desired channel frame members. V

Referring now to the'drawings, more specifically to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4,the door structure of this invention is indicated generally by thenumeral it) and includes side frame members 12, a top frame member 14,and a bottom frame member 16. As shown in FIG-1, the fram members, whenin the assembled condition, receive a 'preassembled removable unitarywindow frame member l having a metallic border Zllabout thesidesrthereof. It being obvious thata unitary preassembled screen orsolid member may also be substituted for the window member 18. A doorlatch 22, has been illustrated and may be of any suitable conventionallatch on the market 7 todayr reference is now made to FIGS. and 6 for adetailed 31 formed at the juncture of the top wall 28 with the 7 sidewall 24 is a ridge 32, the inner side of which the border 20 'of thewindowframe 18 may abut when in the .installed position. the inner sideof the ridge 32 is a groove 34 having an In' contiguous relationshipwith angularly disposed side wall 36 as a continuation of the inner sideof the ridge 32. The other side wall 38 of position, a retaining latchmechanism, similar to that shown in the Conrad Reissued Patent 24,520,mounted at spaced intervals in the border 20, provides a blade member 42to pivot inwardly to interlock with the groove 34. 'The angular sidewall '36 aiding in guiding the blade member 42 into the groove with theide Walls 36 and 38-spaced apart at the lower or innermost point of thegroove sufiiciently to receive the blade member 42.

The bottom wall provides a planar surface, 44 with an extendingreinforced rib 46, as a continuation of side wall 24, having a' flatsurface 48 parallel to surface 44. On the other side an extending rib50, as a continuation of side wall 26, is illustrated as having arounded configuration terminating at the same elevation as surface. 48of the extending rib 46. a

Referring now specifically to FIG. 3, the top frame member 14, extrudedin the desired contours as'previously described, provides an exterior,side wall 52 and a parallel interior side wall 54, a top wall 56 and aparallel bottom wall 58. Side walls 52 and 54 join the top wall 56 atright angles and extend, past the top wall a short distance to formidentical edges 60 and 62. In similar manner, the side walls 52 and'54join the bottom wall 53 at right angles with the ide wall 52 extendingpast-the bottom wall a substantial distance toform an edge 64.

Positioned between the side walls 52' and 54 in parallel relationship isa rib member 66 secured along itsledges to top wall 56 and bottom wall58. The rib member 66 is disposed off center of the space between sidewalls 54 and 56, being spaced from side wall 56 the exact same distanceasthe center of groove 34 is from side wall 24 of the side frame member12 :Therelationship of the rib member 6 6with the groove 34 will bereadily understandable from thedescription to follow as to the joiningof the frame members. Centrally disposed on the outer surface of bottomwall 58 is a depending holding rib 68' having a rounded lower edge. Asreadily seen in FIG.

3, the rib 68 interlocks with a groove 70in the upper surface of theborder20 of window member 18. The interlocking of the rib 68 with groove70 in conjunction with the latching mechanisms previously describedsecures the window rigidly againstthe-frame members.

Referring now toFIG. 4, the bottom frame member 16 provides identicalconfiguration as the top frame member 14 just describedexcept the ribmember 68. centrally disposed on the outer surface of thebottom wall hasbeen eliminated to permit easy installation of the window member 18 andto provide a flat surface for the top surface of the border 20 toguideupon,.and the member 16 is inverted 180 relative to the position ofmember 14.. In

description of the unique interlocking and securement of these framemembers to form the door structure. To

achieve maximum clarityin showing and describing the corner junctures,FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the upper righthand corner juncture of FIG. 1as viewed from the inner side. As 'best seen in FIG. 5, the end surfaceof top frame member 14 is formed to provide a mating contourconfiguration identical to the contoured surface/28 0f 7 side framemember 12. The rib 66 of frame member 14 extends outwardly past the end.surface? of. the frame member 14. a distance suflicientto extend intoand past the innermost surface of groove 34 when the frame members areassembled. The groove 34 of frame member 12 has the bottom wall thereofremoved, preferably by a saw cut, as at 72, a length sufiicienttoreceive therib 66 of frame member 14.

With the frame members prepared as just described, the mating surfacesare interlocked as seen in FIG. 6. Themating of the various contours andthe extension of rib 66 into the groove 34, open at 72, interlocks thetwo frame members together with the majority of the mating surfacesabutting one another at right angles. With the end of rib 66 extendingthrough the groove 34 adjacent the open end of frame member 12, not onlyis a greater surface area available'for welding, that is, the thicknessof the rib '66 with the thickness of the side walls of groove 34 on bothsides thereof, ,butis readily accessible to perform the weldingoperation since the channels forming the side frame member are open attheir end andis accomplished entirely upon the inner rib members Wherebythe heat generated therefrom will not discolor or affect the outerexposed decorative surfaces.

The combination of the permanent securement by welding of the rib 66 tothe sides of the groove 34 over the entire width of the juncture withthe total mating surfaces interlocked and abutting one another at rightangles,

there is provided maximum strength and rigidity toresist all of thecompressive, tensile or torsional forces that a door structure willencounter. In addition, it is obvious that not only is the ultimate ofstrength and rigidity attained by the door structure of this invention,but the joining of the frame members at right angles in interlockingrelationship provides an overall outer geometrically balanced doordesign.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a specificembodiment, the principles involved are susceptible of num'erousotherapplications which will readily occur to persons skilled in the art. Theinvention is therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. An all metal door frame structure comprising open ended first tubularframe members each substantially rectangular in cross section and havingthe opposed inner edges thereof .angularly contoured including a ridgemember extending outwardly from said inner edges, a groove extendinginwardly from said inner edges adjacent said ridge and open at thebottom thereof to the interior of said frame members adjacent the endsthereof,

said ridge'member and groove being centrally offset-ad-' jacent a sidewall of said first frame members; second tubular frame members eachhaving-end surfaces thereof angularly contoured for reception of theinner edges of said first frame members including an internal rib memberintegrally formed therein throughout its length in parallel relationwith the side walls of said second frame members and extending outwardlypast the end surfaces thereof and centrally. olfset adjacent to one ofthe side walls for alignment with said grooves and terminally exposed insaid groove openings to the interior of said first frame members foraccess through said open ends; and

means accessible throughsaid open ends integrally securing said secondframe members at right angles to 'said first frame members with saidextending rib member secured in said groove at said openings to providea unitary door frame structure.

2. The invention is called for in claim 1 wherein said grooves aretapered to guide said rib member into place and said opening comprisesa. slotting of the innermost surface of the groove of the first framemembers to permit the extending rib of said second frame members to passtherethrough, and wherein said means integrally securing said secondframe members at right angles to said first frame member comprises Weldmeans securing the end of the rib to the under surface of the groovethroughout the length of the rib member exposed therein.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Koontz May 22, 1951 Kessler Nov. 11, 1952 KieferMar. 9, 1954 Sigler et a1. Apr. 23, 1957 Bianca June 9, 1959 FOREIGNPATENTS Great Britain Nov. 21, 1951

1. AN ALL METAL DOOR FRAME STRUCTURE COMPRISING OPEN ENDED FIRST TUBULARFRAME MEMBERS EACH SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR IN CROSS SECTION AND HAVINGTHE OPPOSED INNER EDGES THEREOF ANGULARLY CONTOURED INCLUDING A RIDGEMEMBER EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID INNER EDGES, A GROOVE EXTENDINGINWARDLY FROM SAID INNER EDGES ADJACENT SAID RIDGE AND OPEN AT THEBOTTOM THEREOF TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS ADJACENT THE ENDSTHEREOF, SAID RIDGE MEMBER AND GROOVE BEING CENTRALLY OFFSET ADJACENT ASIDE WALL OF SAID FIRST FRAME MEMBERS; SECOND TUBULAR FRAME MEMBERS EACHHAVING END SURFACES THEREOF ANGULARLY CONTOURED FOR RECEPTION OF THEINNER EDGES OF SAID FIRST FRAME MEMBERS INCLUDING AN INTERNAL RIB MEMBERINTEGRALLY FORMED THEREIN THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH IN PARALLEL RELATIONWITH THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID SECOND FRAME MEMBERS AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLYPAST THE END SURFACES THEREOF AND CENTRALLY OFFSET ADJACENT TO ONE OFTHE SIDE WALLS FOR ALIGNMENT WITH SAID GROOVES AND TERMINALLY EXPOSED INSAID GROOVE OPENINGS TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID FIRST FRAME MEMBERS FORACCESS THROUGH SAID OPEN ENDS; AND MEANS ACCESSIBLE THROUGH SAID OPENENDS INTEGRALLY SECURING SAID SECOND FRAME MEMBERS AT RIGHT ANGLES TOSAID FIRST FRAME MEMBERS WITH SAID EXTENDING RIB MEMBER SECURED IN SAIDGROOVE AT SAID OPENINGS TO PROVIDE A UNITARY DOOR FRAME STRUCTURE.